Matty's Pupa

I know there's lots of different caddis pupa patterns out there with so many variations it's hard to decide which one works the best. Something I've always done (and it seems to work) is to try and mimick the translucency in the fly by trying different materials. I check this by dipping them in water to see which ones seem to look the best. Over the past few years I've been fishing this imitation I call Matty's Pupa (named after my son who caught his first steelhead on Elk Creek with it). It uses small glass or plastic beads which can be purchased at the local craft store, then palmering a dubbed loop through the beads instead of using an all bead body like some of the patterns. Kind of segments the body better I think. Here's a tutoral on it. Works for us both for trout and steelhead.

1. Using a typical pupa hook, slide three beads on the hook and seperate them by tying thread in front and in back of the beads.



2. Tie in at the hook bend one strand of crystal flash, and a short section of scud back material.



3. Spin a dubbing loop of hares ear dubbing the color of your choice.



4. Palmer this dubbing loop through the beads one time and tie off.



5. Pull forward the scud back material, wrap through the beads with the crystal flash and create a head with peacock herl (black). Whip finish.



Heres what it looks like in water. Kind of looks lie a combination of trapped air bubbles and the pupa's guts showing through.

nice fly great ideas thanx for the lesson.ff46